Operating means



May 10, 1927.

A. H. STEBBINS OPERATING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1926 May- 101 1 H. STEELE-IRIS Q OPERATI NG MEANS Filed April 'f, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .1" A TTOFFNE) Patented May 10, 1927.

ALBERT H. STEBIBINS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

OPERATING MEANS.

Application filed April 13, 1926. Serial No. 101,722.

This invention relates to operating means for imparting a progressive vibratory movement to concentrator decks, screens and other devices supported for vibratory movement.

Various efforts have been made heretofore to devise a simple durable construction for imparting a progressive vibratory movement to concentrator decks, screens and other devices supported for vibratory movement, but much difficulty has been experienced in devising means for producing the desired movement, due to the exacting nature of the requirements of the movement for manymachines. For example, in the operation of concentrator decks the nature of the movement employed should be such that it will advance the materials being treated over the deck surface while at the same time it should not be sufliciently energetic to disturb the stratification of the materials, or the operation of separating the values from the tailings.

The present invention, therefore, relates to a simple durable form of operating means for moving a frame, deck or other device to be vibrated back and forth with a movement that gradually increases in speed in one di rection and gradually decreases in speed in the opposite direction.

One important feature of the present invention resides in the construction whereby the frame or other device being operated is positively moved in one direction with an increasing speed and is positively moved in the opposite direction with a decreasing speed.

A more specific feature of the present in vention resides in the construction whereby a rocking arm that extends in one direction from its axis of rotation serves to move the frame in one direction, and a rocking arm that extends in the opposite direction from its axis of rotation serves to move the frame in the reverse direction. These arms are so arranged that their movement through a mall angle serves to impart a positively accelerated movement to the frame in one direction and a negatively accelerated move ment to the frame in the opposite direction.

Another feature of the invention resides in the construction whereby one rocking arm connected to the frame to be vibrated by a cable that serves to pull the frame in one direction, and the other arm is connected to the frame by a cable that pulls the frame in the opposite direction. The movement of the two arms is synchronized so that as one moves to its cable let-off position, the other is moved to its cable take-up position. In this manner the movement of the frame is at all times positively controlled by the angular movement of the two arms.

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings,

-which illustrate good practical forms of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a frame supported for vibratory movement and provided with operating means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale is a side elevation of the operating mechanism for pulling the frame in one direction.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the operating mechanism for pulling the frame in the opposite direction.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but shows a modification of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of a crank shaft to be described.

The operating means of the present invention may be employed to impart a progressive movement to any type of frame that is supported for vibratory movement, but it is particularly well adapted for use in connection with concentrator decks and screens, because it develops a movement that gradually increases in speed throughout its stroke in one direction, and gradually decreases in speed throughout its stroke in the opposite direction, and because jthe nature of the movement imparted to the deck or frame may be readily varied, as will be hereinafter pointed out, to meet the requirements of different operating conditions.

In the drawings a frame 10 is shown as mounted for back and forth movement in the direction of its length, and this frame may serve to support a concentrator deck, screen or other device to be vibrated. The means shown for supporting the frame 10 for vibratory movement consists of a framework formed of the longitudinally extending rails 11 which are secured to the up rights 12, and in order that the frame -10 may mere forth upon. its suppor? PJI ing structure the bearing blocks 13 are provided, secured to the upper portion of the supporting" structure, and these bearing blocks are provided with a recess to receive the ball or roller 14, the upper portion of which enters a similar recess formed in the bearing blocks 15 that are fastened to the under face of the supporting frame.

As stated, an important feature of the present invention resides in the rocking arms which serve to pull the vibratory frame 10 back and forth. These rocking arms may be variously constructed, the essential feature of their construction being that they have an offset portion to which a cable or the like is secured, and which off-set portion is adapted to swing through an are about the pivot point or axis of the rocking element. In the construction shown these rocking arms constitute crank shafts having an off-set portion or wrist pin, as will presently appear.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to t inclusive, the frame 10 is pulled in the left-hand direction by a cable 16 one end of which is fastened to a threaded pipe 17 and this pipe is adjustably secured by nuts 18 to a bracket 19, fastened to the under face of the frame 10. The connection between the cable 16 and frame 10 may be adjusted as desired by adjusting the nuts 18 upon the threaded pipe 17. The cable 16 passes around a grooved sheave 20 which is rotatably supported by a transversely extending shaft 21 that is mounted upon the framework. The cable 16 extends downwardly from the sheave 20 and its lower end is secured to the wrist pin or of"- set portion of the cable actuating arm 22. This arm as shown consists of the crank shaft'23, which is journaled in the bearing brackets 2 lthat are fastened upon the supporting structure. and the shaft 22-3 provided with the offset portions which are connected by the wrist pin 26. Upon this Wrist pin are mounted the grooved spools 27 and 28, and the downwardly extending portion. of the cable 16 has a looped end 29 which is secured to the grooved spool 28. The arrangement is, such that when the cable operating); arm 22 occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it extends vertically downwardly from the shaft 23, the frame 10 will be held by the cable 16 at the left-hand end of its stroke, and when the arm 22 is permitted to rock from its vertical position shown in Figs. 1., 2 and 3, to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, it will slack off the cable 16 to permit the frame 10 to move in the right-hand direction.

Various means might be provided for im parting a rocking movement to the arm 22 to thereby tension and slack off the cable 16, and the means shown to this end consists of a cable 30 one end of which is secured to a bolt 31 which is adjustably secured to the supporting structure by nuts 32. An intermediate portion of the cable 30 is looped about a grooved sheave 33 which is rotatably mounted upon an eccentric 3 1 that is rigidly secured to the power driven shaft 35. This shaft may be supported by the bearing brackets 36 that are secured to the side rails of the supporting structure, and the shaft may be driven by a pulley 37. The opposite end of the cable 30 is looped about, or is otherwise secured to, the spool 27. The arrangement is such that as the power shaft is rotated the eccentric will rotate within the sheave 33 to move this sheave bodily toward and from the arm 22 to thereby tension and slack off the end of the cable 30 which is secured tothe wrist pin of this arm. It should be noted that since one end of the cable 30 is anchored to the sup 6 porting structure the movement imparted to the other end of this cable will be equal to twice the distance through which the sheave 33 is moved in a horizontal direction. This construction is highly desirable because it permits the use of an eccentric having a relatively small throw. A spring 38, one end of which is secured at 39 to the supporting structure, and the other end of which is connected at 10 to the wrist pin 26, is provided. This spring serves to pull the rocking arm 22 from its dead center position and serves also to keep the cable 30 taut.

As a result of the construction just de scribed rotation of the power shaft 36 will alternately tension and slack off the cable 30 to positively pull the arm 22 from the dotted line position to the full line position of Fig. 5., and as the tension of the cable 30 is slacked off the arm 22 will be pulled to its dotted line position by the spring 38.

The means shown for pulling the frame 10 in the right-hand direction, viewing Fin. 1, is substantially the same in construction and operation as that described for moving the frame in a left-hand direction, except that the cable actuating arm 41, extends upwardly from its axis of rotation instead of downwardly, as doesthe arm The cable I actuating arm all consists of a crank shaft 2 journaled in the supporting brackets 1-3., and this crank shaft hasthe offset wrist pin 44 to which the downwardly extending portion of the cable as is secured, This cable extends upwardly about a. grooved sheave 416 that is supported by the shaft a7, and the upper end of the cable is secured to threaded pipe -18. The means for securing the pipe 48 to its bracket -19 may be similar to the securing means for the pipe 17. The ends of the pipes 17 and are preferably connected by a turn buckle 50 so that the pull will be transmitted directly from onecable to the other.

The power actuating means for pulling the arm 41 from its full line position in Fig. 4 to the dotted line position is similar to the operating means for the arm 22, and consists of a cable 51 one end of which is anchored to the supporting structure by an adjustable bolt 52 and the other end of this cable is fastened to a spool mounted upon the wrist pin 44, while an intermediate portion of the cable 51 is looped about a second groove formed in the sheave The arrangement is such that the cable 30 extends around one side of the sheave and the cable 51 extends around the opposite side of this sheave, and; a result one cable is slacked. off while the other is tensioned. In this manner the cable 30 is actuated to pull the arm 22 to its vertical position and the cable 51 is actuated to pull. the arm 41. from its vertical position. If desired the rocking arm 41 may be provided with a spring 53 one end of which is secured to the supporting structure and the other end is connected to the wrist pin 44 to keep the cable 51 taut.

The arrangement of the cable actuating arms 22 and 41 is preferably such that when the frame 10 is at the left-hand end of its stroke, the arm 22 will extend downwardly from its pivot shaft 23 in a vertical or substantially vertical position, and the arm 41 will extend upwardly from its pivot shaft 42 in a vertical or substantially vertical position. In order to move the frame 10 to the right-hand end of its stroke the arm 41 will be pulled by its cable 51 to the dotted line position of Fig. 4, while at the same time the arm 22 will be pulled by the spring 38 and cable 16 to the dotted line position of Fig. 3. It is important to note that as the arms 22 and 41 approach the vertical position in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the movement of the frame 10 in its left-hand direction will gradually slow down as the arcs through which the arms swing approach the horizontal plane. As these two arms are moved towards the dotted line positions of Figs. 3 and 4 the movement imparted to the frame 10 in a right-hand direction will increase in speed as the angle which these arms form with their vertical position increases. In other words, the frame 10 is moved in the lefthand direction by pulling the arms 22 and 41 to the dead centre positions in which they are shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, and this frame is moved in the righthand direction by pulling these arms away from their dead centre positions to the inclined or dotted-line positions in which they are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The movement imparted to the frame 10 clecreases in speed as the arms approach the dead centre position and increases in speed as the arms are moved toward their dotted inclined position.

From an examination of the drawings it will be seen that the vertical position in which the arm 22 is shown is the position in which it exerts its maximum take-up pull upon the cable 16, while when the arn'i is in its vertical position, as shown, the cable is in its position of maximum let-off movement, the arrangement being such that as the two arms rock back and forth the cableletbfl' by one arm is taken up by the other arm.

Since the arm 22 rocks upwardly towards the sheave 20, while the arm 41 rocks downwardly from the sheave 46, the rate at which the cable is let off by one arm may differ slightly from the rate at which the other cable is taken up by the second arm, and this difference may be pronounced if the arms are swung through a large are, but the present invent-ion contemplates that the arms be moved through a relatively small arc, say 20 from the vertical position, in which case the rate at which the cable is let off by one arm will differ so slightly from the rate at which the other cable is taken up by the second arm that this slight difference will readily be taken care of by the slack in the operating cables.

Should it be desirable to Vary the nature of the progressive movement imparted to the frame 10, this may be readily done by adjusting the anchoring bolts 31 and 52 to which the operating cables 30 and 51 are secured. A variation in length of these cables will change the are through which the arms 22 and 41 swing, and the nature of the movement imparted to the framelO will vary as these arcs are moved toward or from the vertical planes passing through the axis of the operating arms.

In Fig. 5 a modified construction is shown, wherein the operating cables 30 and 51 have been replaced by the pitman rods 54 and The rod 54 has one end secured to the wrist pin 26 by a head 56 which embraces a spool 57 mounted on the wrist pin 26. The opposite end of the rod 54 is provided with a head 58 in which the eccentric 59 secured to the power shaft (30 rotates. The arrange ment is such that as the eccentric 59 rotates within the head 58 it will positively rock the arm 22 back and forth. The pitman rod is provided with a similar head which embraces the eccentric 59 and the other end of this rod is secured to the wrist pin 44 of the arm 41. The eccentric 5f) shifts the rods back and forth to move the arms 22 and 41 positively to and from their vertical position. This modified construction makes it unnecessary to use the springs 38 and 53 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but it necessary to employ an eccentric having a greater throw in this modified construction since the movement imparted to the arms 54 and 55 will be equal to the throw of the eccentric and not double the throw, as in the construction of Fig. 1, where the cables are employed, each of which has one end anchored.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the frame 10 is posivitely pulled in a righthand direction by the arm 41 with an increasing speed, and that it is positively pulled in the left-hand direction by the arm 22 with a decreasing speed.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a rocking arm supported to extend from its axis of rotation in the direction of cable let-ofl movement, a cable ext-ending from the arm to the frame, a second rocking arm supported to extend from its axis of rotation in the direction of cable take-up movement, a cable extending from said second arm to the frame, and power means for rocking said arms to positively move the frame back and forth with aprogressive movement.

2. In combination with a. frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a rocking member having a cable actuating portion offset from the axis about which the rocking member rotates, a cable extending from the off-set portion to the frame and operable to pull the frame in one direction, a second rocking member positioned to rock about a different axis from that of the first rocking member and having a cable actuating portion off-set from the axis about which it rocks, a cable extending from said second off-set portion to the frame and operable to pull the frame in the opposite direction, and means for rocking said members to actuate the frame.

3. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a rocking member having a wrist pin offset from the axis about which the rocking member rotates, a second rocking member positioned to rock about a different axis from that of the first operating means and having a wrist pin off-set from the axis about which it rocks, a

connection between 'one wrist pin and the frame to move the frame in one direction, a connection between the other wrist pin and frame to move the frame in the opposite direction, and means for rockingsaid members to actuate the frame.

4. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, a pair of rocking arms supported ,to extend in opposite directions from the pivot points about which they rock and movable relative to each other, a connection between the frame and one arm and extending in the general'direction of the arm for moving the frame in one direction, a connection between the frame and the other arm and extending in the general direction of the arm for moving the frame in the opposite direction, and means for rocking said arms to move the frame back and forth.

5. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, cables connected to the frame to pull it back and forth, a rocking arm connected to one of said cables and arranged normally to extend from its pivot point to the cable in alignment with the cable, a second arm connected to the other cable and arranged normally to extend from its pivot point to the cable in alignment with its cable but in an opposite direction to the first arm, and means for operating the arms so that both arms occupy their normal position when the frame is at one end of its stroke and lie at an angle to their respective normal positions when the frame is at the other end of its stroke.

6. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, cables connected to the frame to pull it back and forth, a pair of rocking arms connected to the respective cables to actuate the frame and arranged so that they lie in parallel relation to each other but extend in opposite directions from their axes of rotation when the frame is at one end ofits stroke and lie at an angle to this position when theframe is at the other end of its stroke, and means for rocking the arms to actuate the frame.

7. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of members mounted for rocking movement relative to each other and each having a cable actuating portion off-set from the axis about which the members rock, a cable extending from the offset portion of one member to the frame and operable to pull the frame in one direction, a cable extending from the off-set portion of the other member to the frame and operable to pull the frame in the opposite direction, and operating means for moving first one rocking member and then the other to the cable tensioning position to pull the frame back and forth.

8. In combination with a frame supported for back and;' forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a rockin member supported to extend from its axis of rotation in the direction of cable let-off movement, a second rocking 'memb'er supported to extend from its axis of rotation in the direction of cable take-up movement, cables extending from the respective rocking members to the frame, and operating means for moving the two rocking members simultaneously in one direction to pull the frame in one direction and operable to move the members simultaneously in the reverse direction to pull the frame in the opposite' direction. w

1 9. In combination with a framesupported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the second arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction,means for moving both an is toa position in which they extend parallel to the cables to which they are secured as the frame rearhes the end of its stroke in one direction, and means for moving the arms simultaneously to an angle to said position to move the frame in the opposite direction.

10. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprismg a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the second arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, means for rocking the arms to a positionin which they extend approximately parallel to their respective cables, and means for simultaneously moving both arms from said position to thereby simultaneously let-01f one cable and take-up the other.

11. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the second arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, means for rockin the arms to a position in which they extend approximately parallel to their respective cables, and means for simultaneously moving both arms from said position to let-off one cable and takeup the other with a speed that increases with the increase in the angle of the arms to their original positions.

12. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, oper ating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a

second cable extending from the frame tothe other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, means for simultaneously rockin the arms in one direction to let-off one cable and take-up the other with a decreasing speed as the angle changes, and means for simultaneously rocking the arms in the opposite direction to let-off one cable and take-up the other with an increasing speed as the angle changes.

13. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direc tion, and means for rocking said arms to positively move the frame in one direction with a decreasing speed and to positively move the frame in the opposite direction wit-h an increasing speed.

1%. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, means for simultaneously pulling one arm to its cable let-off position and the other arm to its cable take'up position, and other means for pulling the two arms simultaneously in the opposite direction.

15. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms mounted in spaced relation to each other so that they rock about different axes, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, and power means operable upon each arm in a direction at substantially right angles to the length of the arm to pull the respective arms to the cable tightening position.

16. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extendingrocking arms mounted in spaced relation to each other so that they rock about different axes, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm' to pull the frame in the opposite direction, and power means operable to pull one arm to the cable tightening position while it releases the other arm.

17. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely extending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, operating cables for said arms and each being anchored at one end and having its other end connected to one of said arms, and means ei'lgageable with an intermediate portion of each arm operating cable and operable to alternately tension and slack off the cables.

18. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame, comprising a pair of oppositely ext-ending rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, an eccentric, a pair of operating cables extending. around the opposite sides of the eccentric and each anchored at one end and having its other end secured to one of said arms, and means for rotating the eccentric to alternately slack off and tension the cables to thereby rock said arms.

.19. In combination with a frame supported for vibratory movement, means for imparting a progressive vibratory movement to said frame comprising, a pair of oppositely extending arms pivotally mounted for rocking movement, a connection between the frame and one arm to pull. the frame in one direction and a connection between the frame and other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, means for moving each arm to a dead centre position with respect to its connection to thereby move the frame in one direction, and means for moving the arms from said dead Centre positions to move the frame in the opposite direction. v

20. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame comprising a p'air pf rocking arms, a cable extending from the frame to one arm to pull the frame in one direction, a second cable extending from the frame to the other arm to pull the frame in the opposite direction, and means. for rocking the arms to move them simultaneously to a position in which their path of movement lies at right angles'to the cables to which they are connected as the frame completes its stroke in one direction and for moving the arms simultaneously away from said position to move the frame in :the opposite direction.

21. In combination with a frame supported for back and forth movement, operating means for the frame comprising a pair of rocking arms each having a cable engaging portion off-set from the point about which its arm rocks and one off-set portion being disposed to extend from its pivot point toward the cable to which it is secured while the other off-set portion extends from its pivot point away from the cable to which it is secured, a cable connected to one arm to pull the frame in one direction and a cable connected to the other arm to pull the" frame in the opposite direction, power means for pulling the last 1 entioned off-set portion in a direction to impart atake-up movement of decreasing speed to its cable, and power means for pulling the other off-set portion in adirection to impart a take-up movement of increasing speed to its cable. 7

22. In combination with a frame supportedfor back and forth movement, a pair of rocking arms supported to extend in opposite directions from the pivot points about which they rock, a flexible connection between the frame and one arm for moving the f'ramein one direction, a flexible connection between the frame and other arm for moving the frame in. the opposite direction, power operated cables for rocking said arms to move the frame back and forth, andmeans for varying the length of the operating cables, to thereby vary the position of the arcs through which said arms rocln 23. In combination with a frame supported for vibratory movement, means for imparting a progressive vibratory movement to said frame comprising, pair'of oppositely extending arms pivotally mountedfor rocking movement relatively to each other, a connection between the frameand one arm to pull the frame in one direction and a connection between the frame and other arm to pulhthe frame in the opposite direction, means for moving each arm to a dead centre position with respect to its connection to therebyniove the frame in one direction, and means for moving the arms from said dead centre positiond to move the frame in the opposite direction.

24. In c'ombinationwith a frame supported. for vibratory movement, means for imparting a progressive vibratory movement to saidframe comprising, a pair of oppositely extending arms pivotally mounted for rocking movement, a connection between the frame and one'arm to pull the frame in one direction and a connection between the frame and other arm to pull the frame the opposite direction, means for simultaneously moving said arms to dead centre positions with respect to their connections to thereby move the frame 1n one direction, and means for moving the arms from the dead centre positions to move the frame in the opposite direction. 7 H I In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. STEBBINS. 

